Grey Carter:I'm hoping the "classic" modes unlocked after the main campaign is finished offer a more traditional Dead Space experience, but as a fan of the series I can't say I'm disappointed with the main campaign.

To spoil Classic Mode for you...

Kopikatsu:I recommend you guys try Classic Mode, then. Hard Mode, Classic Aiming, No Co-Op, you can only build guns from blueprints that have 'A Classic' in the description (DS1 and 2 guns, basically), the 'build' section of the bench menu is disabled completely, and none of your stuff carries over.

Impossible difficulty was super easy. Classic Mode is so very rough. Keep running out of scrap metal and somatic gel.

Also, Hardcore Mode was done more intelligently this time around. You can save as many times as you want, so if you need to stop playing for whatever reason, you're fully capable of doing so. But dying deletes the save. So don't do that.

I do have to agree, though. Dead Space 2 was my favorite game of this gun as well. Bought it on all three systems just to always have it. (360, PC, PS3)

Also, Hardcore Mode was done more intelligently this time around. You can save as many times as you want, so if you need to stop playing for whatever reason, you're fully capable of doing so. But dying deletes the save. So don't do that.

I do have to agree, though. Dead Space 2 was my favorite game of this gun as well. Bought it on all three systems just to always have it. (360, PC, PS3)

First, in this article, I read 'universal ammo' and went "Wha..?", which kinda painted DS3 in a negative light. Your description of Hardcore mode just saved the game for me however :) So I'm still gonna be picking it up.

But yeah, DS2 was awesome. Just the right mix of characters, action, horror and creepy atmosphere...

EA's next marketing strategy? Buying every magazine for your gun. There are now no longer any random ammo loot. You are free of course to focus on melee weapons... that they sell for a premium at their store. Want to use fists? You have to buy that ability in the collectors edition DLC. Want to progress to level 2? Sorry but thats barred with a gate, that requires this specific key for the low low price of 9.99 or your regional equivalent.

You are of course expected to pay the usual hourly fee so your 360, PS3, or equivalent doesn't simply shred your disc and burn it to ash. To finish your transaction, please link your bank account directly to EA.

On some levels I'm glad to hear you liked the game Grey, I'm still not buying it due to the cash grab gimmick though. Maybe in a year or two for 75% off or whatever, but right now I refuse to sponsor that idea. I am hoping that no matter how good the core gameplay is, the game crashes and burns to discourage the practice. I love the franchise and IP, but I'd rather lose Dead Space than to see EA trying to gouge me for extra $$$ with single player game transactions, especially seeing as if they succeed, other companies will follow suit.

That said, the idea of their being a microtransaction mob like that does sound like something that might show up in a Korean MMORPG. "The only way to damage this monster is to pay money, and you can't progress past this region without vanquishing them! Put a credit card on file, and every $1 you charge is 10 points of damage... each monster that spawns has 100 hit points... and there is a 1 in 1000 chance that each mob you vanquish will have a key to unlock the gate to the next zone.... gogogogo!"

Of course to be fair in doing this the new mechanic would be introduced by a doe-eyed anime girl with a squeaky voice who seems unusually upbeat about the whole idea... as opposed to say Erin. :)

I don't advocate ending use of a word because it's often used to draw unpleasant connections. The original use of "retard" was "to slow down", and I use it often in my education to describe things slowing down, stunningly enough.

dragongit:EA's next marketing strategy? Buying every magazine for your gun. There are now no longer any random ammo loot. You are free of course to focus on melee weapons... that they sell for a premium at their store. Want to use fists? You have to buy that ability in the collectors edition DLC. Want to progress to level 2? Sorry but thats barred with a gate, that requires this specific key for the low low price of 9.99 or your regional equivalent.

You are of course expected to pay the usual hourly fee so your 360, PS3, or equivalent doesn't simply shred your disc and burn it to ash. To finish your transaction, please link your bank account directly to EA.

Your avatar is from Fallout 3. Where you had to pay $15 for the real ending. I really feel like Bethesda might do something like this first.

Although it's obviously exaggerated, this is the kind of direction that worries me when it comes to adding DLC and micro-transactions. It's the point when they stop feeling like they are an optional addition and instead start to become almost necessary to play the game properly.

It's not there yet, but I can't help but feel we are starting to head towards it.

dragongit:EA's next marketing strategy? Buying every magazine for your gun. There are now no longer any random ammo loot. You are free of course to focus on melee weapons... that they sell for a premium at their store. Want to use fists? You have to buy that ability in the collectors edition DLC. Want to progress to level 2? Sorry but thats barred with a gate, that requires this specific key for the low low price of 9.99 or your regional equivalent.

You are of course expected to pay the usual hourly fee so your 360, PS3, or equivalent doesn't simply shred your disc and burn it to ash. To finish your transaction, please link your bank account directly to EA.

Your avatar is from Fallout 3. Where you had to pay $15 for the real ending. I really feel like Bethesda might do something like this first.

Fallout New Vegas was worse. The vanilla ending of the game is just so disappointing but every one of its DLC is worth it and the last one is the true ending to game, but it's obsidian and Bethesda so I can't say I'm as reluctant to throw them some extra cash as I am as at EA, even if it is for Visceral.

dragongit:EA's next marketing strategy? Buying every magazine for your gun. There are now no longer any random ammo loot. You are free of course to focus on melee weapons... that they sell for a premium at their store. Want to use fists? You have to buy that ability in the collectors edition DLC. Want to progress to level 2? Sorry but thats barred with a gate, that requires this specific key for the low low price of 9.99 or your regional equivalent.

You are of course expected to pay the usual hourly fee so your 360, PS3, or equivalent doesn't simply shred your disc and burn it to ash. To finish your transaction, please link your bank account directly to EA.

Your avatar is from Fallout 3. Where you had to pay $15 for the real ending. I really feel like Bethesda might do something like this first.

Fallout New Vegas was worse. The vanilla ending of the game is just so disappointing but every one of its DLC is worth it and the last one is the true ending to game, but it's obsidian and Bethesda so I can't say I'm as reluctant to throw them some extra cash as I am as at EA, even if it is for Visceral.

I just happened to choose a generic avatar from the site's stock. Bethesda has yet to come to the same level as EA does when it comes to nickle and diming it's customers.

dragongit:EA's next marketing strategy? Buying every magazine for your gun. There are now no longer any random ammo loot. You are free of course to focus on melee weapons... that they sell for a premium at their store. Want to use fists? You have to buy that ability in the collectors edition DLC. Want to progress to level 2? Sorry but thats barred with a gate, that requires this specific key for the low low price of 9.99 or your regional equivalent.

You are of course expected to pay the usual hourly fee so your 360, PS3, or equivalent doesn't simply shred your disc and burn it to ash. To finish your transaction, please link your bank account directly to EA.

The fun part is, the CEO of EA actually made a speech singing the praises of the business model you're describing

Your avatar is from Fallout 3. Where you had to pay $15 for the real ending. I really feel like Bethesda might do something like this first.

That was as a result of fan feedback though. People wanted a new ending and were very vocal about it. Doesn't excuse the terrible original ending, but as far as I know it was not a pre-calculated money grubbing tactic.

dragongit:EA's next marketing strategy? Buying every magazine for your gun. There are now no longer any random ammo loot. You are free of course to focus on melee weapons... that they sell for a premium at their store. Want to use fists? You have to buy that ability in the collectors edition DLC. Want to progress to level 2? Sorry but thats barred with a gate, that requires this specific key for the low low price of 9.99 or your regional equivalent.

You are of course expected to pay the usual hourly fee so your 360, PS3, or equivalent doesn't simply shred your disc and burn it to ash. To finish your transaction, please link your bank account directly to EA.

The fun part is, the CEO of EA actually made a speech singing the praises of the business model you're describing

Should I be laughing or crying? That is spooky, I didn't even know about this speech on microtransactions.

WHY is this such a ridiculous issue for people. Hell, I praised the microtransactions in Dead Space 3 because it's so innocuous that you can completely ignore it. Don't want to spend time searching for parts? (Which to me partly defeats the purpose of Dead Space) Then just spend a buck and get a bunch of items. Simple as that. Feel like playing the damn game and earning your reward? Then don't use microtransactions.

dashiz94:WHY is this such a ridiculous issue for people. Hell, I praised the microtransactions in Dead Space 3 because it's so innocuous that you can completely ignore it. Don't want to spend time searching for parts? (Which to me partly defeats the purpose of Dead Space) Then just spend a buck and get a bunch of items. Simple as that. Feel like playing the damn game and earning your reward? Then don't use microtransactions.

Maybe. But perhaps in the next game, because people still bought it, EA or their stockholders will take that as a sign that microtransactions are a good thing. And then in Dead Space 4, you won't be able to get anything but the most basic guns without shelling out a little extra.

"Don't like, don't use" is not really a valid counter to a change that people don't like - especially if it's likely to become more prominent in the next game.